Click the pic to see other blog posts by this Mo' wielding weirdo

Sources for this article include:

• http://www.depressionperception.com
• http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
• http://www.beyondblue.org.au
• http://www.beyondblue.org.au
• http://www.menslineaus.org.au

If you, or someone you know requires further information about depression, please – check out the sites listed above, read through some info, or see your G.P. They won’t think you’re a wussy girl, I promise. Well, unless… you know.. You’re a wussy girl. (Of course, that is in fact quite likely. The chances of men looking into and reading about their own health is about equivalent to that of my Mo’ growing into something like this dude’s in the next 7 days)

Confucious says: "A Bro with a Mo is like a pigeon. People give him food."

Depression. No, not ‘recession’. Although historically, the two have been said to be linked. OK, so that might not be true, but it makes sense.

It’s probably one of the most difficult health issues for Men to talk about, and easily one of the issues you most need to talk about. And I mean get in touch with your feelings and express yourself type talk. Not in a Tim-Tam eating, Kleenex wielding,  ‘The Notebook’ watching kind of way, but in a ‘Make sure you don’t knock yourself’ kind of way.

If you’re depressed, you probably know it. You feel tired. You’re irritable. You’ve lost interest in your work or hobbies. You can’t sleep. And all you want to do is sleep.You may have even noticed you’re drinking a lot more.. You know what? Take a look at the list of possible symptoms:

• General slowing down or restlessness
• Neglecting responsibilities and not looking after yourself
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Becoming confused, worried and agitated
• Inability to find pleasure in any activity
• Finding it difficult to get motivated in the morning
• Behaving differently from usual
• Denying depressive feelings – this can be used as a defence mechanism
• Indecisiveness
• Loss of self-esteem
• Persistent suicidal thoughts
• Talking negatively – for example: ‘I’m a failure’, ‘ It’s my fault’, ‘Life isn’t worth living’
• Worrying about finances
• Perceived change of status within the family
• Moodiness or irritability – this can come across as anger or aggression
• Sadness, hopelessness or emptiness
• Feeling overwhelmed, worthless or guilty
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Feeling tired all the time
• Unexplained headaches, backache or similar complaints
• Digestive upsets, nausea, changes in bowel habits
• Agitation, hand-wringing, pacing
• Loss or change of appetite
• Significant weight loss or gain.

So how common is it? And what can happen if you go with the ‘she’ll be right’ approach?:

Around one million Australian adults live with depression each year. On average, one in six men and one in four women will experience depression in their adult lifetime. So no, you’re not alone.

Depression is a known high-risk factor for suicide. From 1998 to 2002, the suicide rate in Australia was four times higher in men than women.

Depression in men is associated with an increased risk of a variety of disorders, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

In the past 30 years, the suicide rate for males aged 15 to 24 years tripled. (I blame Kurt Cobain for that one though)

For older Australian men (aged 65 years and over) the suicide rate remains very high. (Risk factors for depression and suicide for this age group include death of a spouse, isolation, physical illness and chronic pain.)

Medical research clearly shows the effects of depression and anxiety on both the body and the mind.
Many of the body’s most fundamental systems are disrupted. These include:

• Your central nervous system (i.e. brain function);
• Your sleep-wake cycle;
• Your hormonal system;
• Your stress response system;
• Your immune system; and,
• Your gastrointestinal (gut) system.

Of course, an easier way to put this would be: EVERYTHING.

So what causes it, and what can you do to fix it?

The causes of depression have been long studied, and the boffins point to these as key contributors:

• Using drugs and alcohol
• Physical health problems
• Relationship problems
• Employment problems
• Social isolation
• Significant change in living arrangements (for example separation or divorce).

And of course, to make matters worse, it has been found that men tend to put off getting help for health problems. This could be because they think they are supposed to be tough, self-reliant, manage pain and take charge of situations. This can make it hard for men to acknowledge they have a health problem, especially a mental health problem.

Instead of acknowledging their feelings, asking for help, or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed, or become frustrated, discouraged, angry, irritable and, sometimes, violently abusive. Some men deal with male depression by throwing themselves compulsively into their work, attempting to hide their depression from themselves, family, and friends; while other men may respond to depression by engaging in reckless behavior, taking risks, and putting themselves in harm’s way

They also tend to focus on the physical symptoms, such as feeling tired or losing weight. They are also more likely to say they feel irritable or angry, rather than saying they feel ‘low’. Men are also less likely than women to talk about their moods or how they feel emotionally. This is one reason why their depression is often not picked up by themselves or by others, including their doctors.

There are a few things you can do to stay on top of the whirlpool:

• Be proactive – the earlier you get help, the faster you can recover. That’s why it’s very important to get help at the first sign of any problems.
• Be direct – it’s important to give the doctor or mental health professional the full picture. Write down feelings or questions before you see a mental health professional. This can help you be more direct and makes it less likely that you’ll forget to tell the doctor the important things about your symptoms.
• Find the right health professional for you – you need to feel comfortable with the person who is helping you. If you don’t feel OK with your first choice, choose another doctor or get a second opinion.
• Don’t give up – sometimes it can take a while before you feel well again. It’s important to stick with treatment plans and let the doctor know when things aren’t working or if you are experiencing side effects. This is important for your long-term recovery.

Depression is treatable. Different types of depression require different approaches. These may range from physical exercise (to prevent and treat mild depression) through to psychological treatments or drug treatments (or both) for moderate or severe depression

Different types of depression and anxiety require different treatments. While some patients only need psychological treatments, others (eg. those with melancholic or psychotic depression) respond best to medications.

• Psychological treatments, including cognitive-behavioural therapy, can help to change your activities, feelings and thoughts to speed your recovery and prevent relapse.
• Medications for depression and anxiety are not addictive.
• Both psychological treatments and medications can help long-term functioning.

It’s important to seek help early. A doctor will be able to tell if you, or the person you are concerned about, are depressed. They will be able to help you or refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for specialist mental health treatment.

Helping yourself

Here are some simple things you can do to reduce your risk of depression and improve your mood:

Eat healthily and regularly.

Take one day at a time and avoid worrying too much about the future.

Make sure you get some regular exercise, such as doing a daily walk. Exercise releases ‘happy chemicals’ in the brain which help combat depression, and may be as effective as anti-depressant medication.

Keep in touch with friends and family. One of the biggest risk factors for depression in older people is social isolation.

Talk to others about how you’re feeling. It could be a GP, friend or counsellor.

Get involved. Join a club or social group, do some volunteer work with your church or a charity group.

Take up a new hobby or do some further study.

Think positive. An optimistic outlook, focussing on what you have rather than what you don’t, helps to protect against depression.

Most importantly: Don’t suffer in silence. If you think you might be depressed, talk to someone

If you want more information on depression, see any or all of the sites above. Better yet, talk you your doctor. If you don’t have a regular doctor – GET ONE!

BECs Shed

http://www.becs.shed.org.au/

Located at 730 Eureka St, the Ballarat Ballarat East Community Men’s Shed is a shed open to all men who want to call it their own and is open Saturday mornings (9:00am to 1:00pm), Tuesday mornings (9:00am to 1:00pm) and Thursdays (9:00am to 4:00pm).

A significant part of the purpose for the shed is the underlying health of men.  Being able to drop in to the shed for what ever reason is part of that support for your health.

Helping out a mate is what Australian men do best, and the shed provides a great way to do this.

Vision

• To address the issues of men’s health (physical, emotional and social well-being) in the community.
• To engage the elderly, differently-abled, youth, veterans, indigenous and other groups of men of the Ballarat and surrounding communities and to specifically address any issues of isolation, loneliness and depression.
• To support the social interaction of men in transitional periods (e.g. Redundancy, Bereavement, Retirement, Ill Health, Relocation, Respite Care).
• To share, disseminate and preserve the skills, abilities and interests that are relevant to the community.

B.E.C.S. is

• A place men of all ages can meet in a social non-threatening environment to share experiences and work together.
• A place where young men can learn from the experience and wisdom of older men in our community.
• Is where men will gain support in times of personal difficulty brought on by unemployment, idleness, loneliness, trauma and/or depression.
• A place of activity and purpose.
• Of positive attitudes and caring.
• A daytime meeting place for men – an alternative to the pubs.
• A place of belonging leading to a reduction in social isolation to better address men’s health issues.  Improving lifestyles leading to improved quality of life.
• B.E.C.S. Will offer its members opportunities of
• Improving self-esteem with youth, unemployed, disabled and older men.
• Developing self-worth through personal effort and community contribution.
• Participate in community service.
• Intergenerational mentoring.
• Support for youth and their aspirations and motivation.
• Helping men with their businesses, or to start a new business.
• Promoting of a good work ethic.
• Respect for older people and their knowledge.
• Recognising, regenerating and celebrating craftsmanship.
• Sharing knowledge and skills.
• Assistance to pass on knowledge and experience.
• Teaching and skills development.
• Realising their potential.
• Developing their hobbies and other interests.
• Simply someone to talk to.

B.E.C.S is on facebook too: Check them out

donate to collin | donate to the E.M.M team | E.M.M facebook page

Collin Van Uden - Mo'tified.

And no, it’s not the number of hairs on my lip. Well, it might be, but that’s not the point.

You may be wondering, in these final weeks of the fan’tash’tic, follicle filled furore that is Movember – “Why the hell should I donate? I gave money for Breast Cancer last month. Hell, I even wore a pink ribbon! So gimme one good reason why I should spend more money on other guys balls?”

First things first. If you actually thought something like that – you’re a jerk. Secondly, Movember is not about testicles, it’s about the prostate. And finally – you want a reason? I’ll give you 30.

The following 30 good reasons are featured on the Movember Foundation’s Website – jump over there and look a little closer, if that’s your thing. It’s essentially a list of what last years funds went into.  I’ve provided links to further info where possible.

PCFA (Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia) Programs Funded by Movember

For more information see http://www.prostate.org.au

Funding from Movember has made the following research projects possible. Each of these projects will add to the body of prostate cancer related scientific knowledge. Each and every one will ultimately contribute to the goal of finding a cure and better treatments for prostate cancer:
01 : PCFA Research Fellowship
02 : Development of a biopsy database
03 : Study of patient outcomes after open and minimally invasive surgery
04 : A randomised controlled trial of exercise to reduce co-morbidity in men receiving therapy for prostate cancer
05 : Bone marrow – derived progenitor cells as biomarkers
06 : Preclinical studies on targeting a novel oncoprotein Cripto to treat prostate cancer using human anti-Cripto antibodies
07 : A randomised trial of a shorter radiation fractionation schedule for the treatment of localised prostate cancer (PROFIT: prostate fractionated irradiation trial)
08 : Potential of Human Killikrein 4 as a novel target for prostate cancer immunotherapy
09 : Macrophage inhibitory cytocine-1 (MIC-1) for the prediction of prostate cancer outcomes
10 : A novel regulator of androgen receptor function in prostate cancer
11 : The role of nutrient amino acids in prostate cancer
12 : Inhibition of sex hormone binding globulin proteolysis by kallikrein-related protease 4: a potential target for prostate cancer therapy
13 : The regulation of E-cadherin expression and Tumour Metastasis in prostate cancer
14 : Cholesterol, Statins and Prostate Cancer
15 : EPHB4 as a target for anti-prostate cancer therapy
16 : Molecular profiling and plasticity of prostate cancer stem cells with disease progression
17 : Development of Mevel Anti-Tumour Drugs for the treatment of prostate cancer: Targeting the Drug-Induced expression of the Tumour Metastasis Suppressor, Drg-1
18 : LightCycler 480 Real-Time PCR system
19 : DAKO Autostainer Plus
20 : The role of polarity regulators in prostate cancer
21 : Screening for hereditary prostate cancer

Beyond Blue: The National Depression Initiative

For more information www.beyondblue.org.au or beyondblue info line 1300 22 4636

Funding the beyondblue info line

Established initially to support men in rural areas and has now expanded to support people across Australia. The beyondblue info line receives more calls from men than any other helpline in Australia (except Mensline)

Supporting the Don’t beat about the bush! campaign

Raises awareness of depression and related disorders in rural communities and provides information on where to get help.

Funding Indigenous Men’s Sheds/Spaces

Aimed to raise awareness of depression and related disorders and to increase and improve access to health services among Indigenous men.

Supporting Men’s Sheds

Promoting awareness of depression and anxiety through community-based men’s sheds. A Men’s Shed is a place that men (particularly older men) come together to socialise, network, make friends, and learn and share skills.

Local? See the Ballarat East Community Mens Shed’s Website

Supporting the Trans‑help Foundation

Provided to drivers and their families to raise awareness of depression and related disorders in the transport industry and provide information on where to get help.

Taking Care of Yourself and Your Family book

Dr John Ashfield’s book, Taking Care of Yourself and Your Family was printed and made available free from beyondblue. The distribution of this book targets rural/ farming men and their families, particularly those in drought-affected areas.

Enhancing awareness of prostate cancer and the risk of depression/anxiety

A new information booklet on depression and anxiety for men with prostate cancer and their partners has been produced by beyondblue in partnership with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA)

Research

New research into the link between depression and men’s cancers (testicular and prostate cancer). beyondblue is supporting a number of researchers investigating the link between depression and men’s cancers, and developing effective interventions to improve the mental health and well-being of both the men with cancer and their partners.

Information

Materials on depression and anxiety in men (available from the Beyond Blue Website)

Donate to Collin | Donate to the EMM Team | EMM Facebook Page

The man. The Legend. The Mo!

Paul has put his Magnificent Mo’ on the firing line for the Every Mo Matters team and Movember . If we hit $500 in donations, he’ll shave off his Mo. Lets do it!

Check out the Shave Paul Young tab at the top of this page for more from Paul

Donate to Collin | Donate to the Every Mo Matters Team | Check out our Facebook Page

Prostate Cancer

Movember is the month of Mens Health. And while it’s all well and good to point at the parade of facial pubic hair being sported globally, how much have you thought about what it’s really about? This week, we’re focusing on Prostate Cancer – Australia’s second highest cancer killer in Men (Second to skin cancer.. Which we’re kinda screwed on, given the GIANT HOLE IN THE OZONE LAYER RIGHT OVER OUR HEADS.)

Yep, there it is. This one's buggered, by the way.

The Prostate:

The prostate gland (from Greek προστάτης – prostates, literally “one who stands before”, “protector”, “guardian” ) is a firm ‘chestnut sized’ gland (oddly enough, it has also been reported to be a ‘Prostate Gland sized gland’) that is responsible for some of the stuff that goes into semen, sperm, ‘jizz’ or whatever word it is that makes you feel comfortable talking about that goop what comes out and makes babies.

The Disease:

A malignant growth arising in the outer region of the Prostate Gland. 4000 cases are diagnosed each year in Australia, and 800 in New Zealand. See the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia‘s website for more info on Prostate Cancer in Australia. Age is the biggest risk factor for prostate cancer, however Australian researchers have claimed a history of breast cancer in your family history also increase your risk.

The Symptoms:

In the early stages there may be NO SYMPTOMS TO INDICATE YOU HAVE PROSTATE CANCER

• Difficulty passing urine
• Poor flow/weak stream of urine
• Increased frequency of urination
• Blood in the Urine

Initially, as the prostate becomes enlarged, the bladder muscle becomes overdeveloped as it attempts to force urine through the obstructed urethra, which becomes compressed and distorted by the enlarged prostate).

The bladder becomes unable to expel all the urine and becomes distended, causing Abdominal swelling.

Incontinence may occur due to an overflow of small quantities of urine, and the bladder becomes overactive.

Pain may then move into the bones from secondary growths of the cancer.

The flow of urine may cease completely because the urethra is totally blocked, or the cancer has spread to the bladder and ureters.

In advanced cases, pain may result due to involvement of the nerves in the pelvis or the spread of cancer to bones anywhere in the body (metastasis)

Treatment Options:

Prostatectomy:

Performed to remove all or part of the prostate gland. The most common method is transurethral prostatectomy. If the prostate gland is very enlarged, retropubic prostatectomy may be required. So you like the video? Do you like how calmly she can describe the slicing open of your nether-regions?

Radiotherapy is also an option in some cases.

Read this article for some info on alternative treatment for Prostate Cancer

Recovery:

In rare cases, post-op bleeding is severe. Blood clots formed within the bladder can be washed out through the catheter during the operation. Following removal of the catheter, urination may be infrequent and painful. In some cases there is mild incontinence for a few weeks. Patients are encouraged to drink a lot of fluid to help wash out remaining blood in the urine.

Uncommonly, prosatectomy affects potency or sexual sensation. in most cases the operation causes sterility, as semen is no longer expelled through the penis during orgasm, but is expelled backwards into the bladder (retrograde ejaculation)

Cause:

Unknown

About the author:

When he’s not making and promoting websites for his friends, Collin Van Uden makes random appearances in forums across the Interwebs, dropping his soapbox and prattling on for a while. When everyone stops listening, he picks up his box and trudges home to his wife, three kids, brother in law, dog, two cats, ants nests and imaginary friend named ‘Kipper’, none of which really listen to him either.
It’s Collin’s Birthday today – why not donate $26 (One dollar for each candle on his cake) today? Help us contribute to valuable research into the causes and treatment of Prostate Cancer. After all, me just growing a Mo’ isn’t really gonna do squat now, is it?

Donate to Collin | Donate to the Every Mo Matters Team | Check out our Facebook Page

For those Movemberonians, Mo Bros, Mo Sistas, Movember supporters and Twitter freaks out there who are familiar with Twitpic, YFrog and the like, you know how easy it is to put up a pic on Twitter.

For those familiar with http://hashtags.org, you’ll know how easy it is to keep track of ‘trending’ topics on Twitter by way of the humble hastag.

Well, Blast Radius have gone and smashed the two ideas together to bring you http://www.tachetag.com/

The idea is you submit your pic to Twitter by whichever means you normally would, but include the hashtag #tashetag (Yes, as a fan of ‘Movemberisms’, I for one think this is friggin’ hilarious)

Curious ‘stache-seekers can then drop into tachetag.com and check out the pics. Fun, fruity, and awesome for the cause.

Want another way to pool your Movember Twitter info? We’ve created two methods of staying up to date on Movember tweets – the Movember Twibe and the Movember Twitter List.

You can add yourself to the Twibe – simply tweet or visit the following URL:  http://twibes.com/movember

If you want to be added to the list, join the Twibe, or send us an email (every.mo.matters(at)gmail(dot)com

And I think I saw a hair retract. That aside, I’d like to share some links – a few Movember related competitions and one little Facebook app to get you inspired to get your Mo on.

But first – Here’s what we did at work yesterday to raise a few coins in the name of Prostate Cancer Research and the fight against Depression:

Now, on to the Movember link joy.

http://bit.ly/everymomatterspage
OK, so this one isn’t a comp. In fact, it’s a blatant plug. It’s the Every Mo Matters Facebook page, and we’d like you to become a fan, join the discussions, donate some cash to the team. You get the drill.

http://www.thehandlebar.com.au/

NIB Health Insurance: Proudly Supporting Movember

NIB have a competition with ten Malvern Star Oppy’s (a pushbike) to be won – worth $3,499 each
Comp Closes: 30/11/2009

http://www.rockstargames.com/movember/
Rockstar Games: Grow a Mo. Play with it forever

Rockstar are giving you and your lipfuzz the chance to make a cameo appearance in their upcoming ‘epic action-adventure’ title: Red Dead Redemption.

http://www.getsomenuts.com.au/movember/public/index
Snickers: Grow a Mo, Got some nuts.

Win a Rip Curl pro surf experience by submitting your (< 10mins) video of you or a mate who has be’stached, or alternatively, the lame excuse of you, or a mate, refusing to Mo’ Up.
The Prize: A trip for the winner and 3 guests aged 18 years of age, or older, to Torquay, Victoria to attend the 2010 Rip Curl Pro event. The Prize is valued at up to $13,166.91 depending on point of departure. The Prize includes five nights twin share accommodation at Crowne Plaza in Torquay, luxury sedan return transfers from Melbourne Airport to the Crowne Plaza in Torquay, four day festival passes to attend the Rip Curl Pro 2010 event, a Rip Curl jacket, hooded jumper, t-shirt and cap (for the winner) and a Rip Curl hooded jumper, t-shirt and cap (for each guest), a private surfing lesson with a surfing instructor and a pro-surfer, including wetsuit and surfboard hire and $1,000 spending money for each person. The identity of the surfing instructor and the pro-surfer will be determined by the Promoter in its absolute discretion. If the winner is not from Victoria, the Prize also includes return economy airfares from the winner’s nearest capital city to Melbourne. If the winner is from Victoria then the Prize does not include airfares and the airfare component of the Prize is not redeemable for cash, however, the winner will be entitled to ground transfers between the winner’s choice of a central location in Melbourne city or from the Melbourne Airport and the accommodation venue.

http://apps.facebook.com/expressyourinnermo/
Express your Inner Mo!

An app created by Movember Australia sponsor Cool Ridge, it takes daily photos of your Mo’gress and strings them together into a reel. It links to your donation page, so folks can donate to you directly (Note: Team donation links don’t work) and in-app you can see all your Facebook connected MoBro’s and their Mo’gress. Pretty awesome, and there’s a quiz to sort out exactly which style of Nose Neighbour you should aim for.

So, that’s all the Movember funkiness I’ve found so far. If you know of a competition or amusing/useful application I’ve missed out on, please comment and let me know.

Till next time, Mo Bro’s and Sista’s – May your Mo’ grow swift and full.

Join the Every Mo Matters Team | Donate to Collin | Donate to the Team | Check out the Every Mo Matters Facebook Page

Small Mo - great with a sword.

3 Days in, and personally, I can see where my little lip warmer is headed already – the way of one Theodore Thomas Flynn – or possibly Cary Elwes-ish thin (the ‘AfterEight’ according to the official Movember Style Guide)

I’d love to say that I could pull off a ‘Magnum’, or even a ‘Rockstar’ – but let’s face it.. That just ain’t gonna happen. Two years ago was the first time I participated in Movember, and the best I managed was roughly equivalent to a small smear of dirt, and a lot of grumpiness from my wife and (then only one) daughter.

But sorry, I digress.

What is Movember anyway? You must have heard of it by now – Guys across the globe mantle themselves with a moustache for one month (the one formerly known as November) in the name of Charity.

This year Movember (Australia) is supporting the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Beyond Blue: The National Depression initiative.

Why? You’ll come across a few statistics this month that will be posted, shared, tweeted, retweeted, digg’d and stumbled upon within an inch of their statistical little lives over the next 30ish days, so I thought I’d try and hunt down some numbers you might not be aware of:

• On average, men die 5 years younger than women
• The rate of male suicide is 4 times that of women
• 2/3rds of Aussie men are overweight or obese
• Men account for 70% of alcohol related deaths
• 1 out of 3 Aussie blokes haven’t seen a doctor in the last 12 months
• 10% of us haven’t seen a doctor in the last 5 years
• But perhaps most alarmingly – 5 Australian men die each hour from a preventable illness.

[Source: 'While you're waiting.. (March 09) ' Published by The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 2009]

An awesome initiative has been set up to reduce this number of unnecessary deaths from 5 per hour to zero. It’s called the ‘M5′ project, and you can check it out online at http://www.m5project.com.au/

So why don’t we take our health seriously enough to stay on top of preventable issues? Huh, blokes? I’ve noticed age seems to be a major factor – the old blokes I know are always prattling on about this visit to their GP or that visit to a specialist, but I never hear guys in my own age range talking about their health. Ever.

Apparently the health issues guys in their 20′s are most at risk from are pretty much all preventable anyway – excess booze, smoking, drugs, car accidents – all are likely to be experienced by young men, who should by rights be on ‘top of their game’

So I lay down this challenge to the ‘boys that would be men’ of the world – Talk to a brother, your father, an uncle or a mate about just one health issue or concern you have or that is impacting your life – just one. Openly talking about our health is one of the biggest steps we can take toward maintaining it.

So, keep an eye on this blog, this site, our facebook page and the Movember foundation – You’ll thank us for it if it keeps you out of the ‘one in five’.

Must have been a day of being self sacrificing and I guess a little avant-garde as I also became like the 10,400th member of a group of women called 1 Million Women - this group is aimed at uniting the women of Australia in the plight to protect our climate and guess what we need… what for it…  that’s right 1 Million Women.

Since I am proudly supporting this worthy cause ‘Movember’ and highlighting the need for more focus on Men’s health when I have more information surrounding 1 Million Women I will post again and then I suggest that you get the women in your lifes to sign up…

So that is my little soap box for today don’t think I won’t be back cos I will be!!! I love a good cause and I am proud to be a Mo Sista!!!!